Cooling device



H. E. MEYER COOLING DEVICE Filed Aug. 1'1, 193s Oct. 24, 1939;

v JNVENTOR. Harn/e y E. Meyer BY Patented Oct. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

My invention relates to cooling devices, and more particularly to a device that utilizes the evaporation of a liquid to obtain a Acooling effect on the air passing through the device.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide a cooling device of the above mentioned character that is simple and cheap in construction and efcient in operation. It is also a purpose of my invention to provide a device of the above men- 1; tioned character that not only cools the air, but

humidies it and removes dust particles, lint,

pollen, and similar foreign matter therefrom.

'It is a particular purpose of my invention to provide a cooling device that cooperates with l means for creating a current of air, such as an electric fan, and which can be placed in close adjacency to said fan so that the air current will pass through said device, causing the evaporation of liquid, such as water, on the surface of suitable absorbent material with which the current of air comes into engagement, to cool said air, clean it and humidify it.

' It is an important purpose of my invention to provide a device of the above mentioned character in which moisture absorbent material is so mounted therein that all the air passing through the device comes in contact therewith. This is accomplished by providing fabric means in said device acting as baies for deilecting the air crosswise of the direction of the stream of air passing into the device, thus providing a circuitous path for the air passing through the device and causing a thorough mixing of the same, whereby it will all come in contact with the moisture absorbent fabric. The preferred way of accomplishing this at the present time is to provide fabric means arranged in a spiral manner, extending in a vertical direction within a frame forming the body of the device, which is open on opposite ends thereof, the air being introduced substantially horizontally into said frame from one of said ends.

, It is another important purpose of my invention to provide a device of the above mentioned character, which is provided with means for diffusing and spreading the air in all directions in front of the outlet end of the device, this being accomplished by the fabric means acting as bafes deflecting the air to both sides of the device instead of merely passing in a stream directly outwardly in front of the same.

It is al particular purpose of my invention to provide a vdevice of the above mentioned character that can be utilized for humidifying purposes alone if desired, as the arrangement of the parts is such that a very large quantity of water can be evaporated by a stream of air passing through the device to humidify all the air passing therethrough.

It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a device of the above mentioned character, in which moisture is supplied to the baffle members not only by absorption from a body of water in an upper pan, but also by overflow of water from such an upper pan directly onto the surface of the fabric, and to arrange said overflow means so as to prevent the overiiowing water from being carried in drops or streams with the air current.

It is an important object of my invention to provide a device of the above mentioned character, which comprises lengths of absorbent material, such as absorbent fabric, which are so arranged in a frame, or casing, that the current of air passing through the device is caused to take a circuitous route and to pass back and forth between adjacent lengths of fabric, to cause the previously mentioned contacting of all the air passing through the device therewith. This is accomplished by providing a mounting for the absorbent fabric in the upper portion of the device and in the lower portion of the device, such that the upper secured end of the fabric lengths extend obliquely in one direction and the lower secured ends of the lengths of fabric extend obliquely in a direction at an angle to the upper ends, the angles at which said obliquely extending ends extend relative to the longitudinal center line of the device being, preferably, equal and in opposite directions from said center line.

i It is a further purpose of my invention to provide a device of the above mentioned character in which absorbent fabric is provided that is mounted so that it will come in contact with the stream of air passing through the device, said fabric extending generally in a vertical direction, preferably spirally, from an upper liquid container to a lower liquid container, and to provide means for mounting said fabric in such a manner that portions thereof extend into and are held below the liquid level in the upper liquid container, and portions thereof extend into and are hel-d below the liquid level in the lower liquid container, This is accomplished by providing an upper pan-like member that has liquid containing portions with interruptions between the same providing openings through which the fabric is passed downwardly toward the lower liquid containing pan, or member, said liquid containing portions extending at an oblique angle and said openings,or interruptions,being also at an oblique angle and providing members spaced from the bottom of the lower pan, under which the fabric extends to hold the same below the liquid level in the bottom pan, or liquid container.

It is a particular purpose of my invention to provide means whereby a continuous strip of fabric can be utilized for obtaining the lengths of fabric, above referred to, and to provide means whereby the same can be passed from the upper to the lower containers, and into the liquid in said containers without any danger of damaging the strip, this being accomplished by providing tubular portions, or rounded edges, on the upper pan-like member and on the lower holding means around which the fabric is adapted to pass, and by providing suitable means for holding down the strip of fabric at its ends in the upper pan-like member and between its ends in the obliquely extending portions of the upper panlike member.

Other objects andl advantages of my invention will appear as the description of the drawing proceeds. I desire to have it understood, however, that I do not intend to limit myself to the particular details shown or described, except as defined in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 isv a view partly in vertical section and partly in elevation of my improved cooling means, the section being taken substantially on the line I--I` of Fig. 2, the fabric strip and holding means being showny in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View through my improved cooling device, the fan associated therewith being shown in top plan view and the section being taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of my improved cooling means, on a somewhat larger scale than Figs. l and 2, the front of the' device being regarded as being the discharge end of the same. f

Fig. 4 is a top plan view onV a slightly enlarged scale of the upper Water pan and associated parts, part of the fabric and tubular members forming the rounded edges of the water pan being omitted to reveal structure under the same.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a similar view taken substantially on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the means for holding the fabric in the lower water pan.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view through the pump.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view partly in section, of a portion of the waterpan, showing one of the fabric holding rods in section, and showing one of the overflow openings', and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view partly in plan and partly in horizontal section showing therelation of the overflow opening to the fabric mounting.

Referring in detail to the drawing, my improved cooling device is shown as being associated with a fan IB, which may be of any desirable, or conventional, construction, the particular kind of fan used being immaterial as long as it throws a stream of air forwardly from the fan toward the frame of my improved cooling device. My improved cooling device comprises a frame having side members I I, a bottom Water pan I2, and a top pan forming a top wall I3. The side members II may be flanged, as shown at Ill, to provide a better finish for the device and to stiften the same, and for the purpose of securing the vertical front wall I5 and rear wall I of the bottom pan thereto. Said pan is also provided with upstanding side walls' 3 secured to the inner faces of the side walls II. The members II are preferably secured to the walls 3, I5 and i6 by welding. The bottom panv thusA forms a water reservoir, in the bottom of said device. The front wall I'I and rear wall I8 of the top pan are also secured to the flanges III at the top of Y l said device. The walls I5 and I6 may be curled over, as indicated at I9, to avoid any sharp edges thereon and the flanges I4 are similarly curled over, as shown at 20.

Mounted on the bottom I 2 are suitable fabric holding members 2l, which extend at an oblique angle from front to back of the device, as will be evident from Fig. 2. One of said fabric holding devices ZI is shown more in detail in Fig. 7, the middle portion thereof being broken away, each memberV 2i being provided with downwardly directed offsets' 22 at the ends thereof, and flanges 23, which are secured in any desired manner fiat against the bottom I2, such as by means of soldering, or welding, so that the main body portions of the members 2| are spaced from the bottom I2 a slight distance.

Said members 2l are further provided with curled, or tubular, flanges 24 along the longitudinal edges of the same, which terminate in the inwardly directed endportions 2,5 that lie entirely within the tubular portions 24, thus preventing any sharp edges from being exposed to the fabric strip 26, which extends under the member 2l and around the curved portions 24 to a point where said fab-ric leaves the curved portions 24 as it passes upwardly toward the top of the device; The fabricis omitted in Fig. 2 to more clearly show the arrangement and construction ofthe holding means 2 I. The top wall I3 of the vframe forms the bottom of the top water pan,

openings, or interruptions, 3i) therein, which arev spaced from each other, and between which are provided obliquely extending pan portions 3l, which are provided with obliquely extending side walls 32 and end walls 33, said end walls 33 being connected by vertical wall portions 34 aligning therewith, said vertical wall portions 34 extending beyond those openings 3l) located nearest the sides of the water pan in the top of said device for a purpose that will be described below.

The pan portions 3|' are connected with the main chamber of the upper pan by means of openings, or slots, 35 provided in the end walls 33, as will be evident from Fig. 9, said openings, or slots, also receiving the rod-like members 36, having tapering ends 31, thereon for holding said rod-like members in assembled relation with the upper pan-like member.

The rod-like members 35 act as holding means for the fabric 26 at the top of said device, serv- 1 theyY extend obliquely in the opposite direction relative to a longitudinal center line of the device than do the members 2|. The members 32 are provided with means for providing a rounding corner on the same to provide a smooth rounded edge over which the fabric extends, said means in the particular' form of the invention shown comprising tubular members that extend over and are mounted on the flanges, or vertical wall portions, 32, said tubular members being indicated by the numeral 33 and being in the form of split, for slotted, open tubular members that have the longitudinal edge portions 39 thereof turned inwardly so that the same cannot come into engagement with the fabric and the edge portions lil! thereof lying closely adjacent and, preferably, in engagement with the wall portions, or flanges, 32. The pan-like member is also provided with flanges, or vertical walls, 4I that extend at the same oblique angle as the walls, or flanges, 32, on the margins of the openings 3D that lie nearest the opposite side walls of said upper pan-like member.

Split tubular members 42 are mounted on the flanges, or wall portions, 4|, the same being made in substantially the same manner as the tubular members 38 to provide rounded edges on the flanges lll, around which the fabric 26 extends. The same reference numerals are applied to the various parts of the tubular members 42 as are applied to the parts of the tubular members 38. The ends of the fabric strip 26 are provided with open ended pockets 43 therein, the material being sewed at 44 toprovide said pockets. One of the rod-like members 36 is extended through each pocket 43, said members extending through slots 35 in the members 34, extending laterally beyond the flanges 4l, said members 36 in the pockets 43 thus serving to hold the ends of the fabric strip 26 below the liquid level in the pan-like member provided in the top of the device adjacent the bottom i3 of said pan-like member. It will thus be noted that the fabric strip 26 extends from within the pan-like member at the top of the device adjacent one of the flanges 4|, over 1 the tubular member 42, down through one of the openings 39, under one of the members 2|, up

through the same opening 3G around one of the tubular members 3S, and back and forth in this same manner to the other end of the strip 26, which is held in the upper pan-like member by means of the rod-like member 3 in the pocket i3 at the said last mentioned end of said strip 26. It will also be noted that due to the fact that the members 2l are inclined in one direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the device, that is, a line drawn perpendicularly to the front and back edges of said device, and the flanges 32 and 43 and the tubular members 38 and 42 thereon are inclined at the same angle in the opposite direction relative to such a center line, the fabric lengths extending from, either, one of the tubular members 35, or one of the tubular members 42, to a member 2 I, will have a spiral twist therein, as will be clear from Figs. 1 and 3, the portions approximately mid-way between the top and bottom of the device, indicated by the numeral 45 extending substantially parallel to the side walls of the device, while the portions above and below the mid-portion of each of the lengths of fabric, are inclined in substantially opposite directions, to form deflecting baffles.

This spiral, twisted, or warped, arrangement of the fabric strips 26 will prevent the .air current created by the fan lil from passing directly through the device, which, due to the velocity of such air currents, would cause only certain portions of such air currents to contact the fabric. By providing the twisted, or spirally arranged vertically extending fabric lengths, the air currents are deflected back and forth between adjoining lengths of said fabric strip, causing eddies and other cross currents in the same, which will cause substantially all of the air that is passing through the device from the fan, or other means creating currents of air, to come in contact with some part of the surface of the absorbent fabric 26. This thorough mixing of the air and movement of the same crosswise, as well as lengthwise, of the device will cause more rapid evaporation of the liquid that is on the surface of the fabric 26, causing a more eflicient and rapid cooling effect due to such evaporation, and at the same time humidifying the air and causing particles of dust, lint, and other foreign matter, to be thrown against the moist fabric and causing such particles to adhere thereto, cleaning the air and removing such undesirable foreign particles from the air passing through the device. While a single length of moisture absorbent fabric is shown as being utilized in the form of the invention disclosed, it is obvious that this is not an absolute necessity to the successful operation of the device, as the spirally twisted lengths of fabric can be provided in many other ways than by the single strip of material shown, although the use of the single strip is very desirable from the standpoint of simplicity of construction and easy assembly of the device,

Means is provided for transferring liquid from the pan provided in the bottom of the device, which serves as'a water reservoir to the pan at the top of the device, which serves as means for distributing the water, or other liquid to be evaporated, to the fabric lengths extending between said upper pan and said lower pan. Said means comprises a pump having a body portion 50, which has an inlet passage 5l therein, and an inlet chamber 52. A ball valve member 53 engages with a seat in the inlet opening 5i and a wire stop member 5d limits the movement of the valve member 53 in an opening direction. The transverse passage 55 connects the inlet chamber with the outlet chamber 56, from which an outlet passage 5! leads to the tube, or conduit, 58, which may be made of any desired non-rusting material, and which extends through the bottom of the upper pan and discharges into the same, as will be evident from Fig. 4.

A ball check valve 59 is provided, engaging a seat where the outlet passage 5l leads from the outlet chamber 5%, and a wire stop member 60 is provided for said ball member 59. I'he body portion 59 of the valve is provided with an internally threaded opening with which engages a screw threaded end portion of the tubular member 62, which tubular member has a chamber therein aligning with the inlet chamber 52, said tubular member 532 acting as a cylinder' in which the piston S3 operates, said piston being provided with a plurality of grooves 64, which act as sealing members when the liquid that is being pumped enters the same.

The piston G3 is connected with a crank 65, by means of a rod 66, which is pivotally connected with the piston 63 and has an opening pivotally receivingthe end of the crank 65. 'Ihe crank 65 is provided on the shaft 61, which is mounted in any suitable manner on the device, as by means of a bearing 68, provided on the bracket 69, which is mounted on the bottom l2 of the device, and to which the pump body 50 is also secured. A bladed propeller member 'I0 is fixed on the shaft 6l, serving as a driving means for the crank, said bladed member 10 acting in the same manner as an air motor, or wind mill, when the current of air from the fan l0 strikes the same, to drive the piston 63. It is, of course, obvious that the piston 63, in its reciprocating movements in the cylinder provided by the tubular member 62, will cause water to intermittently enter the inlet chamber 52, past the valve 53, and be forced through the passage 55 out through the outlet passage 56 past the valve 59.

If desired, the side walls ll of the frame may be provided with handle members, which comprise merely pieces of sheet metal ll, welded, or otherwise secured to the outer faces of the walls Il and having tubular or curled end portions 'I2 thereon, by means of which the device can be picked up and carried about. The entire device is very light in weight and can be very easily moved from place to place, as may be desired. It will also be noted that there is nothing to impede the progress of the stream of air through the device, except the fabric lengths within the same, there being no grills, or other impeding means that might interfere with the free passage of air currents through the device provided at either the front or back thereof. While the fabric members in the device do not interfere with the passage of the air through the device, these do prevent the air from rushing straight through the device without coming in contact with the wet surface of the fabric in a manner that has. been previously pointed out. Not only do the fabric lengths accomplish this, but also cause the air to be diffused, or spread, in all directio-ns in front of the outlet, or discharge end of the device, causing the air to be distributed not only forwardly rrom said discharge end, but also laterally at an angle to both lsides of the discharge opening, or exit end, of the apparatus.

While the action of the absorbent material as a wick will ordinarily serve to meisten the same, it has been found to be very desirable to provide means for not only moistening the fabric in this manner, but by direct application of liquid to the surface of the fabric from the top pan. To accomplish this and to prevent accidental overflow of the pan in an undesirable manner, overflow openings 'I3 are provided in the wall portions 34, aligning with the openings 3E). The overow openings are provided in the wall portions 36 nearest the back wall I8 of the water pan and are so located that the water overflowing through the same will engage with the fabric 26, passing sprally down from one of the members 38, the fabric 26 thus acting as a shield, or baille, against which the overflow water passing through the overiiow openings 'I3 will engage, the water flowing along the surface of the fabric instead of being sprayed, or splattered about, and without being directed in either drops or streams into the stream of air passing through the device, passing into the stream of air only through the evaporation process, by means of which humidification and cooling of the air is accomplished, to avoid a very objectionable feature to cooling devices which use water, which often carry particles of water in the stream of air discharged from such devices. I have found it very desirable to operate the pump at such a rate that the water will constantly be overflowing through the openings 13, there being, preferably, an opening 13 provided in each of the wall portions 34 at the margins of the openings 3l! at points adjacent the fabric lengths 26, and having such relationship to such fabric as does the opening 13 shown in Fig. 10.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, a frame, means for supporting lengths of moisture absorbent material in said frame comprisinga plurality of parallel obliquely extendingvholding means in the upper portion of said frame and a plurality of parallel obliquely extending holding means in the lower portion of said frame extending at an angle torsaid holding means in the upper portion of said frame to cause said lengths of absorbent material to extend in vertical spirals within said frame, and means for supplying moisture to said lengths of material.

2. In a cooling device, the combination with means for creating an air current, of an upper liquid container, a lower liquid container, means for maintaining a body of liquid in said upper container, a plurality of lengths of liquid absorbent flexible fabric material extending from within the body of liquid in said upper container downwardly into said lower liquid container, and means for holding said fabric within said upper and lower liquid containers, and disposing said lengths of fabric between said upper and lower containers so that the major portion of each length thereof extends obliquely of said air current but no portion thereof extends crosswise of said current.

3. In a cooling device, the combination with means for creating an air current, of an upper liquid container, a lower liquid container, meansv for maintaining a body of liquid in said upper container, a plurality of lengths of liquid absorbent exible fabric material extending from within the body of liquid in said upper container downwardly into said lower liquid container, and means for holding said fabric within said upper and lower liquid containers and disposing said lengths of fabric between said upper and lower container so that the ends of each length thereof extend at opposite oblique angles to said air current and each length is twisted on a long spiral of less than a complete turn from top to bottom thereof.

4. In a device of the character described, means for creating a current of air, means for supporting a plurality of lengths of a wide band of flexible liquid absorbent fabric vertically in said air current and means for supplying liquid to said lengths of fabric at the upper portions thereof, said absorbent material being mounted so that the major portions thereof extend at oblique angles to said air current and no portions thereof extend transversely of said air current, and adjacent lengths thereof being substantially in parallelism from top to bottom thereof to provide air passages of substantially uniform width between the same.

5. In a device of the character described, means for creating a current of air, means for supporting a plurality of lengths of a wide band of fiexible liquid absorbent fabric vertically in said air current and means for supplying liquid to said lengths of fabric at the upper portions thereof, said absorbent material being mounted so thatv the major portions thereof extend at oblique angles to said air current and no portions thereof extend transversely of said air current, and adjacent lengths thereof being substantially in parallelism from top to bottom thereof to provide air passages of substantially uniform width between the same, the upper' portions of said lengths extending at a different angle to said air current than the lower portions thereof to defleet said air current in a plurality of directions at the discharge end of said device.

6. In a cooling device, the combination with means for creating an air current, of an upper liquid container having obliquely extending marginal edges, a lower liquid container, means for maintaining a body of liquid in said upper container, comprising a pump for elevating liquid from said lower liquid container to said upper liquid container, means for driving said pump, said upper container having overflow means disposed a predetermined distance above the bottom thereof, a plurality of lengths of liquid absorbent eXible fabric material extending from within the body of liquid in said upper container over said obliquely extending edges and spirally downwardly into said lower liquid container, and means for holding said fabric within said upper and lower liquid containers, said overflow means comprising means for directing overflowing liquid onto said lengths of fabric adjacent the upper ends thereof, whereby liquid is supplied thereto both by capillary action and by overflow.

HARVEY E. MEYER. 

